THIS WEEK:
Was full of ups and downs..like every other week.
(*Kaitlyn's Grandpa John Pedersen passed away Saturday June 25th - so you understand her email.*)
First of all Grandpa.. That was not a fun call to get...but this is probably the best place to be to get that kind of call because I'm completely wrapped up in the gospel and have such a different perspective. It's helped me strengthen my testimony in the plan of salvation. Here are some scriptures that helped me that maybe will help you too if you are sad.. D&C 78:17-18 " Verily, verily I say unto you, ye are little children, and ye have not as yet understood how great blessings the Father hath in his own hands prepared for you. ...And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer for i will lead you along. The kingdom is yours and the blessings thereof are yours and the riches of eternity are yours."
D&C 6:34,36-37... " Therefore, fear not, little flock: do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail....Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not..Behold the wound which pierced my side, and also the prints of the nails n my hands and feet; be faithful, keep my commandments and ye shall inherit the kingdom of heaven."
All Saturday i was on and off in tears but it was also a really good day because "B" got baptized:)
I think the theme of this week is when something bad happens it's always followed by something great.
It was such a good baptism minus a few minor details like... "B"'s wife "C" cleans houses for this woman and the woman came completely hammered to the baptism . After "B" was baptized she told everyone "He did a good job"....and then "B"s boss is a little crazy..In front of everyone he thanked us for teaching "B" and he like attacked us and hugged and kissed us...Like picking us up off the ground...Good thing he is old so it made it okay. but everyone is our ward that's male knows that you aren't supposed to hug or kiss missionaries so they all were giving us a hard time and all the other missionaries that came were laughing that some old man attacked us..
But it was a beautiful baptism and "B" was beaming and he started to cry at the end he bore his testimony and he thanked us for having patience with him and not giving up on him and he bore his testimony of missionary work. It is so cool to see such a big change in him. I'm really happy for his family and I definitely want to be there when they go through the Temple..I'll have to come back for that.
We had an AMAZING week with our new investigators "M" and "S"! We had a Family Home evening with a couple from our ward and them and at the end "M" said "i've been thinking and I would like to get baptized,..." ummm Awesome. He had been to the LDS church a few times with his ex mother in law years ago and always wanted to learn more..He said he'd already felt a big change in his life and he knew it was true and it was where he was supposed to be. But his wife said she wasn't ready to talk about baptism (totally understandable considering it was our 2nd real lesson) but she did ask about how long they had to wait to be sealed in the temple lol..So we went to teach them a few days later but he wasn't home so we just taught her and it was an incredible lesson..not because of anything we said but because she kept bearing her testimony-she's had so many amazing spiritual experiences since they started investigating the church. She was crying telling us about all the blessings that they have seen in the last 2 weeks and how their lives have changed dramatically. On of the coolest things was we were reading 2 nephi 31 and it's about the gospel and we were talking about how the savior always invites us to follow him.. She started crying and telling us about a dream she had the night before that she was with Jesus and he was walking on the water and he reached out to her and told her to take his hand and to come and follow him....She talked about how her marriage is stronger, her family is happier..she doesn't feel depressed she feels like she has a family with the ward and she feels the spirit so strong in her life and has never felt this way before. They are getting baptized on the 9th:)
I love how much the gospel brings hope into peoples lives. I love when we actually FIND the people Heavenly Father has prepared. Every time the spirit confirms to an investigator the truth of the gospel it just strengthens my testimony. We always talk about how spoiled we are to be missionary and see so many amazing things.
We've had this training with the mission every Friday this month and the first 20-30 minutes pres asks to hear about "missionary moments" things that happened that week. We are in a group with 3 other zones and just between all of us it's amazing to see how involved the Lord is in our areas. I love hearing about other missionaries experiences and to know how many lives are being changed. I really like being in a room full of missionaries I don't know how to describe it but there really is a power and spirit that is incomparable to anything else.
It makes me not want to go home and have this tag on forever.. Word i thought I'd never say but it is starting to make me sick to think this comes to an end one day..
Okay I love you.
I'm praying for you. Give everyone hugs from me at the funeral.
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